The first time you might have had your ears pierced was when you were a baby. Some parents want to have their newborn daughter’s ears pierced before they take her home from the hospital.

Ear piercings are generally safe and easy to do. Knowing what happens during the procedure, the type and position of the piercing, and the time it takes to heal will remove any anxiety about getting a piercing for the first time or getting additional piercings.

1. Do it because you like it
Although getting ear piercings is not as permanent as getting a tattoo, you still need to ask yourself why you want to go through the process in the first place. You’d voluntarily have a hole punched in a part of your body for some reason. Whatever it is, it should be a decision you made yourself and not because of other factors. Children who want their ears pierced should be accompanied by parents, although some shops have an age requirement for the procedure.

2. Learn about everything that’s relevant
Get all the information you need about the procedure, the types of metals and possible skin reactions, the name of reputable shops, and how to clean the metals and keep your ears from getting infected. Experts recommend surgical stainless steel or titanium so that you won’t get any allergic reaction to the metal or infection in the wound. The important thing to look for is a clean and experienced shop.

3. Choose between needle and piercing gun
There are issues regarding sterilization with the use of guns. There aren’t a lot of complaints about it however and the gun itself doesn’t come into contact with the skin. But piercing guns are usually made of plastic and cannot be sterilized like needles. On the other hand, the use of needles seems painful and the procedure takes longer than the piercing gun. The experts however are trained about how to do it. There is testimony that it hurts less and the wound is easier to clean.

4. Learn about the types of ear piercings
Earlobe piercing is the most common type, but there are other piercings you can also look into such as; gauging or stretching, cartilage industrial or scaffold, ear cage, tragus, anti-tragus, conch, rook, snug, daith and helix piercings.

Earlobe and cartilage piercings can be done using a piercing gun. The rest should be done using needles. Each piercing might take time to heal especially when the hole is made through the cartilage.

5. Clean the wound and metal to prevent infection
You’ll be told not to remove the piercings while the hole is still healing. Watch out for infections and reactions by inspecting the ears daily and making sure it’s disinfected. Wash your hands before touching the area to prevent accumulation of dirt and bacteria. Use a cotton ball or pad and a cleaning solution to clean the front and back by dabbing the areas. After a few weeks, you will need to rotate the earrings to keep the shape of the hole.